By John Brice
Correspondent
Arrests made by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office of six suspects involved in drive-by shootings across Chambers and Lee counties were announced in a press release on Monday, June 17th of 2024.
In a post to the official facebook page for Lee County Sheriff’s Office Investigations, it stated “On June 5th 2024, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office received reports of two drive by shootings in the 12000 Block of Lee Rd. 379 in the Valley community of Lee County. Both crimes occurred at the same residence approximately two hours apart. Approximately 40 shell casings were recovered from the scene, which included .40 caliber and .556 caliber. The residence and a vehicle were hit by multiple rounds of gunfire. In the early morning hours of June 10th 2024, Valley Police Department received a report of a drive by shooting in their jurisdiction where a female victim was shot inside of her residence while sleeping. Approximately 61 shell casings were recovered from the scene, which included: .40 caliber, .556 caliber, .300 Blackout and 9mm.”
Providing further detail, It went on to continue “On June 15th 2024, Lee County Investigators along with the Lee County SWAT Team, which consists of Law Enforcement Officers from Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Opelika Police Department and Auburn Police Department, conducted three simultaneous search warrants in Opelika regarding the crimes. Search warrants included residences in the 200 block of South Raintree Street, the 300 block of Wittel Ave. and the 500 block of Antioch Circle. Approximately 8 firearms, marijuana and an amount of U.S. currency was recovered. Six male suspects were taken into custody at the time.”
Names of the suspects and their respective charges were listed as follows in the release “Jamaroun Satterwhite (19) from Waverly was arrested and charged with 2 counts of Discharging a Firearm into an Occupied Dwelling and 1 count of Shooting into an unoccupied Vehicle. Timothy Lamar Bell (19) from Opelika was arrested and charged with 2 counts of Discharging a Firearm into an Occupied Dwelling and 1 count of Shooting into an unoccupied vehicle. Demarious Tyquez Stemario Ross (19) from Opelika was arrested and charged with 2 counts of Discharging a Firearm into an Occupied Dwelling and Shooting into an Unoccupied Vehicle. Kymi Jaqwon Davis was arrested and charged with Receiving Stolen Property 2nd Degree. Alijah Dayshun Moss-Rowell (18) from Opelika was arrested and charged with Possession of Marijuana 2nd Degree. Cord Smith (37) from Opelika was arrested on multiple outstanding warrants through Lee County. Satterwhite, Bell and Ross are being held in the Lee County Jail on a $105,000.00 bond. The others have since posted bond on their listed charges.”
Most commenters on social media expressed praise for law enforcement and scorn for the suspects and their alleged crimes, however, there were a number of troll accounts mocking the situation and making preposterous calls for the suspects to be released. One commenter expressed incredulity when remarking “Why are people wanting to ‘free’ them? So they can hurt other people or be hurt themselves? Makes absolutely no sense. You do the crime, you do the time. That’s what’s wrong with kids today. If they were disciplined when they were younger, they wouldn’t be caught up in this lifestyle.”
Another poster struck a more somber tone, noting “19 and living like that their moms really should leave them In jail. They are safe there they can’t hurt anyone and no is going to hurt them. When they’re no longer babies and too big for our laps you gotta let them fall and rebuild themselves”.
Frustration with the spiraling trend of rampant crime in the local area was expressed by a commenter who opined “Great job but they are all back out on the street. The deputies do their job and the law says they have to let them out. Just glad no deputies were hurt. It’s got to be disheartening though.”
